Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/232/

Interviews

1. Coming to America (Japanese)

2. First work in America (Japanese)

3. Bad business deal (Japanese)

4. Japan vs. the United States (Japanese)

5. Company in Tokyo burned down (Japanese)

6. Match-making (Japanese)

7. Two race horses (Japanese)

8. Buying violin (Japanese)

Funai,Kazuo

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

Company in Tokyo burned down (Japanese)

(Japanese) Even if I want to go home, I can’t so it’s useless. There’s no use thinking about it.

I*: During the war, if Pearl Harbor hadn’t been attacked, would you be in Japan now?

Yeah, of course. I was going to go back to Japan. I had started a company in Tokyo.

I: What happened to that company? What happened to that company? That company in Tokyo?

It burned down. Burned down. Even though I had built a company it burned up.

* "I" indicates an interviewer (Eriko Yamamoto).

business economics management migration World War II

Date: October 14 & 17, 2004

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Eriko Yamamoto

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.

Interviewee Bio

Kazuo Funai, 104-year-old pioneer Issei from Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, owned and operated a market on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. In 1941, prior to the outbreak of World War II, Mr. Funai had made arrangements to move to Tokyo to set up a business enterprise. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he was unable to travel to Japan and was financially ruined. In addition, he and his family were incarcerated in an American concentration camp. He survived these obstacles to later start several successful businesses.

Mr. Funai passed away on Thursday, March 3, 2005 at the age of 105. (August 16, 2005)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Richard Kosaki

Under suspicion after Pearl Harbor

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

Mónica Kogiso

History of her family's immigration (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Art Shibayama

Family's deportation from Peru to U.S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Art Shibayama

Conditions aboard U.S. transport ship while being deported from Peru

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

Peter Mizuki

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

Ransacking of family home by FBI following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

Witnessing father's arrest through a child's eyes

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

Participating in military drills in school in Japan during the war

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

Hearing anti-American war propaganda from a teacher

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

The hardships of life in Japan during World War II

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Rose Kutsukake

Why her parents came to Canada

(1918-2004) Interned in Slocan during World War II. Active member of the Japanese Canadian community.

Fujima Kansuma

Neighbor took care of hotel business during the World War II

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

Fred Sasaki

Family background of Fredrick Yoshihide Sasaki

(b. 1918) Issei businessman in Canada

Fred Sasaki

Anti-Japanese sentiment at the time of World War II

(b. 1918) Issei businessman in Canada

Ryoichi Kodama

Affect of the World War II (Japanese)

Kasato-maru immigrants

Previous
1
2
3
4
5
⋯
20
Next

3